The invention relates to an apparatus for internally processing slaughtered poultry that is suspended by its legs from a conveyor. It comprises a processing device movable into and out of the abdominal cavity of the poultry and a counterpressure plate which engages the back of the poultry.
A known apparatus of the type referred to above comprises an apparatus for removing the intestines from the inside of slaughtered poultry. During the known process the counterpressure plate presses the respective part of the poultry against the processing device; in this context, to be specific, the spine. Generally a clamping means will also be applied that will firmly press the poultry against the counterpressure plate.
A disadvantage of this known apparatus is that it is only suited for processing poultry of a certain weight. If poultry of another weight has to be processed the apparatus has to be adapted or some parts thereof should be replaced by other parts. If this isn't along it is, for example, possible that, with poultry of a lower weight, the processing device will not be correctly or, not at all, positioned inside of the slaughtered poultry but will, for example, pass in front of the poultry along the chest. Obviously, adapting the apparatus, on the one hand, decreases its productivity and, on the other hand, leads to an increase of costs.